How Obesity And Sleep Are Linked

Losing weight could help treat your sleep problems.

Our weight is determined by our daily eating and exercise habits, with a degree of genetic predisposition. Where fat is distributed on our bodies dictates snoring. Dr Manish Motwani, Obesity surgeon, Aastha Healthcare, Mulund, Mumbai says, ” Loud snoring is often a stepping stone towards sleep breathing disorders such as sleep apnea. Central fat on the neck, chest and abdomen is a pattern far more common in men, making them more likely to snore. After menopause, fat distribution in women changes, making central weight gain and snoring more likely.”

Obesity is the cause of snoring in many cases. Dr Manish explains, “Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a chronic condition in which the airway of the body collapses or gets blocked during sleep. This cause shallow breathing or breathing pauses. The higher the weight, the greater is the risk of developing OSA. The most common symptoms of OSA are snoring, excessive day time sleepiness, extreme fatigue, and lack of energy and enthusiasm after waking up. The individual suffering from OSA is also at a greater risk of high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart failure.

With obesity and sleep apnoea, the patient has day-time drowsiness, which leads to decreased productivity and a decreased growth at work.

How snoring make you overweight?Being a snorer and being overweight are linked. In other words, obesity can cause snoring and snoring can cause obesity. Promisingly, weight loss is the most potent remedy for snoring. Overeating and not exercising makes us overweight. What is less well known is that snoring itself can facilitate weight gain. This is because sleep deprivation caused by snoring or sleep apnea change our habits and our appetite. Poor sleep saps our energy. We can’t always catch up sleep when we like, so instead, we fill that energy void with food, particularly foods with plenty of sugar. Here, we think we are hungry but are just sleep-deprived. Under-exercising is a symptom of the fatigue and tiredness that comes from bad sleep.

Treatment “The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is the initial treatment for OSA. However, compliance is low, with only about 50% of patients using the devices regularly. Weight loss of more than 10% of body weight is required for the remission of OSA. Realistically speaking, this kind of weight loss is sustainable only by very few patients. The most effective and sustainable treatment for weight loss is bariatric surgery. Post-bariatric surgery, most patients can wean themselves off the CPAP machine within 1-3 months of surgery. For morbid obesity bariatric surgery is a viable option which can treat obesity and sleep apnea. Avoid alcohol, smoking and sedatives. Maintain regular sleep hours, Throat exercise also helps in reducing symptoms,” Dr Manish says.